IllustrationPENDING PROBLEM. 1999 VOLVO XC70 USES A DRIVE-BY-WIRE THROTTLE. THE THROTTLE BODY MODULE IS PRONE TO FAILURE AND WHICH LEADS TO UNINTENDED ACCELARATION OR LOSS OF ACCELARATION CONTROL. EARLY FAILURE IS INDICATED WITH ENGINE SURGING FROM 500 TO 1000 RPM, CYCLING BACK AND FORTH.*AK
1999 Volvo V70XC
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all V70XC years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
30–25K
125–50K
2350–75K
1675–100K
18100–150K
3150K+
64 reports with mileage · 15 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 29 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 18 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Fuel System, Gasoline. Review the 9 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
1 crash reports1 fire reports2 injury reports
What owners actually said
79 reportsWHILE PULLING ONTO AN EXIT RAMP AT 45 MPH THERE WAS AN OVERHEATING SMELL IN THE CABIN OF THE VEHICLE, FOLLOWED BY THE VEHICLE STALLING. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTO REPAIR SHOP FROM THE EXIT RAMP THE FOLLOWING DAY. THE ENGINE SEVERELY OVERHEATED, THE EXPANSION TANK AND ENGINE COVER MELTED, AND THE RADIATOR WAS LEAKING AT THE SI…
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WHILE PULLING ONTO AN EXIT RAMP AT 45 MPH THERE WAS AN OVERHEATING SMELL IN THE CABIN OF THE VEHICLE, FOLLOWED BY THE VEHICLE STALLING. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTO REPAIR SHOP FROM THE EXIT RAMP THE FOLLOWING DAY. THE ENGINE SEVERELY OVERHEATED, THE EXPANSION TANK AND ENGINE COVER MELTED, AND THE RADIATOR WAS LEAKING AT THE SIDE TANK. RADIATOR LOOKED LIKE IT WAS DEFECTIVE. THE ENTIRE ENGINE WAS REPLACED. CONSUMER INDICATED THAT THIS FAILURE WAS RELATED TO COOLING FAN RECALL 04V451000, BUT THE VIN IS NOT INCLUDED.*AK...........*AK
CAR STALLED WITHOUT WARNING IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. FOUND TO BE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE MODULE. THIS IS TANTAMOUNT TO HAVING THE THROTTLE CABLE SNAP. IT IS A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE AND VOLVO KNOWS ABOUT IT BUT REFUSES TO 'FESS UP. LUCKILY WE WERE UNHURT BUT THIS PROBLEM IS PERVASIVE AND DEMANDS ATTENTION. *NM
I HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED BY MY VOLVO DEALER (DON BEYER VOLVO, FALLS CHURCH, VA) DURING ROUTINE SERVICE THAT THERE IS AN INTERNAL FAULT IN THE ABS MODULE IN MY 1999 VOLVO V70 WAGON. THE ESTIMATED COST FOR THIS PROSPECTIVE REPAIR IS $951. I UNDERSTAND FROM CONVERSATIONS WITH OTHER 1999 AND 2000 VOLVO OWNERS, AS WELL AS A SEARCH ON TH…
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I HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED BY MY VOLVO DEALER (DON BEYER VOLVO, FALLS CHURCH, VA) DURING ROUTINE SERVICE THAT THERE IS AN INTERNAL FAULT IN THE ABS MODULE IN MY 1999 VOLVO V70 WAGON. THE ESTIMATED COST FOR THIS PROSPECTIVE REPAIR IS $951. I UNDERSTAND FROM CONVERSATIONS WITH OTHER 1999 AND 2000 VOLVO OWNERS, AS WELL AS A SEARCH ON THE INTERNET, THAT THIS IS A FREQUENT PROBLEM WITH VOLVO'S DURING THIS PRODUCTION PERIOD. SINCE THE ABS CONTROL MODULE DOES NOT DETERIATE FROM NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR BUT, INSTEAD IS A COMPUTER BASED SYSTEM WHICH SHOULD LAST MUCH LONGER THAN 3 OR 4 YEARS, I AM REQUESTING YOUR ORGANIZATION TO INVESTIGATE WHETHER THIS PROBLEM IS A LATENT DEFECT AND SHOULD BE THE SUBJECT OF A RECALL AND PAID FOR BY THE MANUFACTURER.
THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH ON MY 1999 V70 XC FAILED WHILE DRIVING CAUSING MY HEADLIGHTS TO BECOME INOPERABLE AT NIGHT WHEN SWITCHED TO THE "ON" POSITION. WHILE NO CRASH OCCURRED, THERE ARE OBVIOUS SAFETY RISKS INVOLVED WITH A SUDDENT LOSS OF HEADLIGHTS. UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION, I FOUND THAT THE PLASTIC HOUSING CONTAINING THE HEAD…
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THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH ON MY 1999 V70 XC FAILED WHILE DRIVING CAUSING MY HEADLIGHTS TO BECOME INOPERABLE AT NIGHT WHEN SWITCHED TO THE "ON" POSITION. WHILE NO CRASH OCCURRED, THERE ARE OBVIOUS SAFETY RISKS INVOLVED WITH A SUDDENT LOSS OF HEADLIGHTS. UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION, I FOUND THAT THE PLASTIC HOUSING CONTAINING THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH HAD CRACKED WITH ALLOWED THE UNIT TO SEPARATE. I HAVE SUBSTANTIAL ANECTODAL EVIDENCE THAT THIS PROBLEM IS WIDESPREAD ON 1999 V70 AND S70 MODELS ON VARIOUS INTERNET BULLETIN BOARDS. *AK
MY ABS/TRAC DASH LIGHTS ARE SIMULTANEOUSLY COMING ON, INDICATING THAT THE ABS IS NO LONGER WORKING. APPARENTLY THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH NEWER (LATE 1990'S AND ON) VOLVOS DUE TO A FAULTY ABS COMPUTER MODULE AND VOLVO ISN'T COVERING THE REPAIRS UNDER A RECALL. THE COST OF THE MODULE IS $500 (NOT INCLUDING LABOR COSTS). I'M…
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MY ABS/TRAC DASH LIGHTS ARE SIMULTANEOUSLY COMING ON, INDICATING THAT THE ABS IS NO LONGER WORKING. APPARENTLY THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH NEWER (LATE 1990'S AND ON) VOLVOS DUE TO A FAULTY ABS COMPUTER MODULE AND VOLVO ISN'T COVERING THE REPAIRS UNDER A RECALL. THE COST OF THE MODULE IS $500 (NOT INCLUDING LABOR COSTS). I'M REQUESTING NHTSA CONTACT VOLVO HEADQUARTERS TO DEMAND A RECALL ON THIS HINDERING ABS SAFETY PROBLEM. *JB
I WAS DRIVING A 1999 VOLVO V70XC AND ENTERING AN INTERSECTION FROM A STOPPED POSITION. I WAS HIT BY A DODGE DURANGO, WHICH WAS MOVING AT APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH. THE DURANGO HIT THE VOLVO V70XC AT THE LOCATION OF THE DRIVER SIDE FRONT DOOR. THE HIT WAS DISPLACED OVER THE ENTIRE DRIVERS DOOR OF THE VOLVO, BOTH "A" & "B" PILLARS W…
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I WAS DRIVING A 1999 VOLVO V70XC AND ENTERING AN INTERSECTION FROM A STOPPED POSITION. I WAS HIT BY A DODGE DURANGO, WHICH WAS MOVING AT APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH. THE DURANGO HIT THE VOLVO V70XC AT THE LOCATION OF THE DRIVER SIDE FRONT DOOR. THE HIT WAS DISPLACED OVER THE ENTIRE DRIVERS DOOR OF THE VOLVO, BOTH "A" & "B" PILLARS WERE COMPROMISED. THE VOLVO IS EQUIPPED WITH SIDE IMPACT AIR BAGS AND THE DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY, BUT THE FRONT AIR BAG DID, WITH NO HIT TO THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE VOLVO'S DRIVER SIDE DOOR WAS CRUSHED AND PUSHED APPROXIMATELY 6 TO 8" TOWARD THE DRIVER SEAT OF THE VEHICLE. FURTHERMORE, A TECHNICIAN SPECIALIST REPRESENTING VOLVO NORTH AMERICA, AFTER MUCH DELAY, RECENTLY EXAMINED THE VEHICLE AT A LOCAL VOLVO DEALERSHIP. AFTERWARDS, VOLVO NORTH AMERICA FORMALLY RESPONDED, IN WRITING, THAT THE 1999 VOLVO V70XC PERFORMED ACCORDING TO DESIGN. MY COMPLAINT IS THAT I PURCHASED THE VOLVO FOR IT'S PROMOTED SAFETY FEATURES AND I AM DISAPPOINTED THE SIDE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES DESCRIBED ABOVE. I WOULD ALSO LIKE VOLVO TO SUBSTANTIATE THE VALIDITY OF CLAIM AND DESCRIBE, IN DETAIL, UNDER WHAT CIRCUMSTANCES A CONSUMER COULD EXPECT THE AIR BAG TO DEPLOY. IT WOULD ALSO BE EXPECTED THAT VOLVO INTRODUCE THIS INFORMATION INTO THEIR SALES AND MARKETING PROGRAM SO THAT PROSPECTIVE BUYER WOULD HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING THAT THE PROMOTED SIDE-AIR BAG ONLY RESPONDS UNDER CONDITIONAL CIRCUMSTANCES. *JB
TRANSMISSION FAILURE AT ONLY 34,000 MILES. REGULAR MAINTENANCE ON AUTOMOBILE AND TIRES. TRANSMISSION BEING REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. HEARD OTHER COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS FAILURE AT SUCH LOW MILEAGE. WONDER IF WILL HAPPEN AGAIN NEAR SAME 30,000 MILE INTERVAL AFTER MY WARRANTY IS UP DUE TO FAULTY EQUIPMENT. *AK
THIS IS THE SECOND VEHICLE THAT CONSUMER HAS GOTTEN FROM VOLVO. FIRST VEHICLE WAS LEAVING A PUDDLE OF GAS. SO DEALER GAVE CONSUMER ANOTHER VEHICLE OF THE SAME IDENITY. BOTH WERE BRAND NEW. ALSO, A LEAK DEVELOPED UNDER THE SECOND VEHICLE. CONSUMER FEELS ITS UNSAFE TO DRIVE BECAUSE IT MAY START A FIRE IF SOMEONE DROPS A MATCH BE…
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THIS IS THE SECOND VEHICLE THAT CONSUMER HAS GOTTEN FROM VOLVO. FIRST VEHICLE WAS LEAVING A PUDDLE OF GAS. SO DEALER GAVE CONSUMER ANOTHER VEHICLE OF THE SAME IDENITY. BOTH WERE BRAND NEW. ALSO, A LEAK DEVELOPED UNDER THE SECOND VEHICLE. CONSUMER FEELS ITS UNSAFE TO DRIVE BECAUSE IT MAY START A FIRE IF SOMEONE DROPS A MATCH BESIDE VEHICLE.*AK
Official recalls
206V441000 · Vehicle Speed Control
Nov 15, 2006
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, A COMBINATION OF THROTTLE POSITIONING SENSOR IRREGULARITIES, A DIRTY THROTTLE HOUSING, AND/OR INEFFICIENT SOFTWARE CALIBRATION MAY CAUSE A WARNING LAMP TO LIGHT AND THE SUBSEQUENT ONSET OF LIMP HOME MODES.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS RESULTED IN A HIGH NUMBER OF VEHICLES GOING INTO THE LIMP HOME MODE WITHOUT NEED.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL THE CURRENT SOFTWARE UPGRADE ONTO THE INVOLVED VEHICLES. THE RECALL BEGAN ON DECEMBER 29, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT VOLVO AT 1-800-458-1552.
04V504000 · Exterior Lighting:headlights:switch
Oct 21, 2004
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, OVER AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME, THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH MAY CEASE TO FUNCTION.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THE HEAD LIGHTS MAY NOT OPERATE PROPERLY WHICH COULD RESULT IN INTERMITTENT OR NO HEADLIGHT FUNCTION. THIS COULD IMPAIR A DRIVER'S VISIBILITY, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: ON VEHICLES WITH AN ORIGINAL OEM SWITCH, DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH. ALL OTHER VEHICLES WILL BE INSPECTED TO DETERMINE IF THE SWITCH HAS EEN DAMAGED AND REPLACE ONLY IF NECESSARY. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JANUARY 24, 2005. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT VOLVO AT 1-800-458-1552.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
2EA05021 · Throttle Control Malfunction
Opened Dec 6, 2005 · Closed Dec 12, 2006
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Vehicle Speed Control
ON NOVEMBER 14, 2006 VOLVO SUBMITTED A DEFECT INFORMATION REPORT TO NHTSA CONCERNING ETM FAILURES IN MODEL YEAR (MY) 1999 THROUGH 2001 VOLVO MODELS (NOT INCLUDING THE S40 AND V40), MY 2002 S60 AND V70 WITH NATURALLY ASPIRATED ENGINES AND MY 2002 V70S.ACCORDING TO VOLVO, ?A COMBINATION OF THROTTLE POSITIONING SENSOR IRREGULARITIES, A DIRTY THROTTLE HOUSING AND/OR INEFFICIENT SOFTWARE CALIBRATION MAY CAUSE A WARNING LAMP TO LIGHT AND THE SUBSEQUENT ONSET OF LIMP HOME MODES.VOLVO FURTHER STATED THAT,THIS RESULTED IN A HIGH NUMBER OF THESE VEHICLES GOING INTO LIMP HOME MODE WITHOUT NEED.?VOLVO INDICATED THAT THIS WAS THE MOST SEVERE CONSEQUENCE OF AN ETM FAULT IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES.THE RECALL REMEDY IS A SOFTWARE UPGRADE INTRODUCED BY VOLVO ON MARCH 16, 2006 IN A CUSTOMER SATISFACTION PROGRAM.AT THE TIME OF THE NOTIFICATION 161,202 VEHICLES OF THE POPULATION OF 331,301 HAD ALREADY HAD THE SOFTWARE UPLOADED AND WERE THEREFORE NOT INCLUDED IN THE POPULATION COUNT OF THE RECALL. ODI?S ANALYSIS OF COMPLAINTS TO ODI AND VOLVO, VOLVO FIELD REPORTS AND WARRANTY DATA FOUND THAT ETM FAILURE COULD RESULT IN (1) ENGINE STALL; (2) MECHANICAL LIMP MODE; (3) LUNGING FORWARD DURING LOW-SPEED DRIVING MANEUVERS; AND (4) FALTERING DURING HIGH SPEED MERGES OR WHEN CROSSING TRAFFIC.ODI IDENTIFIED 12 CRASHES RELATED TO ETM FAILURE, WITH 6 CAUSED BY LUNGING INCIDENTS, 3 CAUSED BY STALLING INCIDENTS, 2 CAUSED BY MECHANICAL LIMP MODE AND 1 FROM THE FALTERING CONDITION.ODI'S ANALYSIS OF COMPLAINT DATA AND INFORMATION OBTAINED FROM CONSUMER INTERVIEWS IDENTIFIED 1,289 INCIDENTS WITH SAFETY RELATED CONSEQUENCES (389.1 PER 100,000 VEHICLES), INCLUDING 479 INVOLVING ENGINE STALL (144.6 PER 100,000 VEHICLES) AND 729 INVOLVING MECHANICAL LIMP MODE (220.0 PER 100,000 VEHICLES).ODI'S ANALYSIS OF WARRANTY CLAIM NARRATIVE TEXT SHOWS AT LEAST 14,965 WARRANTY CLAIMS WITH CODES INDICATING AN ETM FAULT RESULTING IN VEHICLE OPERATION IN MECHANICAL LIMP MODE (4.5% OF THE SUBJECT VEHICLES). VOLVO?S RECALL ADDRESSES ODI?S SAFETY CONCERNS WITH ETM FAILURES.ODI WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE SUBJECT VEHICLES TO DETERMINE IF ADDITIONAL ACTION IS REQUIRED.THIS ENGINEERING ANALYSIS IS CLOSED.
PE05041 · Throttle Control Malfunction
Opened Jul 26, 2005 · Closed Dec 7, 2005
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Vehicle Speed Control
PE05-041 WAS OPENED ON JULY, 26, 2005, BASED ON 136 CONSUMER COMPLAINTS TO ODI ALLEGING THROTTLE CONTROL MALFUNCTIONS IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES.ODI HAS NOW RECEIVED 591 COMPLAINTS OF ETM FAILURES WHICH ALLEGE SYMPTOMS WITH POTENTIAL SAFETY RELATED CONSEQUENCES.THESE INCLUDE ALLEGATIONS OF ENGINE STALL, VEHICLE SURGING FORWARD WITHOUT ACCELERATOR INPUT, VEHICLE HESITATION UPON ACCELERATION AND SUDDEN AND UNEXPECTED TRANSITION INTO REDUCED PERFORMANCE OPERATION (LIMP MODE).VOLVO SUBMITTED OVER 2,900 COMPLAINTS CONCERNING THE ETM IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES DURING PE05-041.ODI'S PRELIMINARY ANALYSIS OF A SAMPLE THE VOLVO COMPLAINTS IDENTIFIED APPROXIMATELY 55 PERCENT WITH ONE OR MORE OF THE SYMPTOMS DESCRIBED ABOVE.ODI IS CONTINUING ITS ASSESSMENT OF THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THE VOLVO COMPLAINTS. IN NOVEMBER 2005, TO RESOLVE AN INVESTIGATION BY THE CALIFORNIA AIR RESOURCES BOARD, VOLVO ANNOUNCED THAT IT WOULD EXTEND THE WARRANTY COVERAGE TO 10 YEARS / 200,000 MILES FOR THE ETM IN APPROXIMATELY 356,000 MODEL YEAR 1999 THROUGH 2002 PASSENGER CARS SOLD IN THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA.UNDER VOLVO'S POLICY, VEHICLES THAT EXPERIENCE ETM FAILURES WILL RECEIVE A VARIETY OF REPAIRS INCLUDING ETM CLEANING, REPROGRAMMING THE ENGINE CONTROL MODULE AND/OR REPLACEMENT OF THE ETM. THIS INVESTIGATION HAS BEEN UPGRADED TO AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS (EA05-021) TO CONTINUE TO ASSESS THE SAFETY CONSEQUENCES OF ETM FAILURES IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES.